Givi e30 Topcase and Brake Light Installation

Discussion of the Genuine Buddy, Hooligan, Black Jack and other topics, both scooter related and not

Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff

Post Reply
User avatar
hangukhurley
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:51 am
Location: Minneapolis area, MN

Givi e30 Topcase and Brake Light Installation

Post by hangukhurley »

Woo Hoo!!!! I have my Givi e30 trunk and brakelight installed! :clown: I'll try to post pictures tomorrow (my camera needs to recharge tonight).

My husband was surprised by how much he had to dismantle to install the brake light kit. He needed to remove (in this order):

1. side plastic panel underneath the left floor board (to remove this panel remove the three screws in the floorboard underneath the rubber mat)

2. tiny, little panel underneath the original brake light

3. the seat (with the compartment)

4. the red brake light cover

5. back left panel (that says Buddy)

After removing the back left panel, my husband had to drill a small hole into the panel for the brake light wiring and do a bit of soldering.

It only took him about an hour to install everything, but probably because he had already installed it on my Vino previously so he was familiar with it. The back rack and trunk installation itself was easy, though.

The black matte Givi trunk looks pretty decent on the back of my pink Buddy. The back rack (Genuine Buddy accessory) is very solid and very substantial. With the trunk installed, when I'm standing right behind the scooter I can't see the original scooter brakelight at all (and I'm only 5'1"!). I'm so glad I had the brakelight kit for the trunk! :whew:
- hangukhurley & Frenchy...Pretty in Pink!
User avatar
BuddyRaton
Scooter Dork
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:08 pm
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Contact:

Post by BuddyRaton »

Can't wait to see the pics! Enjoy!
"Things fall apart - it's scientific" - David Byrne
www.teamscootertrash.com

'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
User avatar
hangukhurley
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:51 am
Location: Minneapolis area, MN

Post by hangukhurley »

Okay, here are some pictures of my Givi topcase. I hope they're not too big. I really worked at making these small.
Attachments
Givi Brake Light Test
Givi Brake Light Test
GIVI Trunk 750 very small.jpg (32.41 KiB) Viewed 2598 times
Buddy With GIVI B very small.jpg
Buddy With GIVI B very small.jpg (60.08 KiB) Viewed 2559 times
- hangukhurley & Frenchy...Pretty in Pink!
User avatar
brat
Member
Posts: 144
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:38 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA

Post by brat »

That looks great. Does your helmet fit in that case?

Susan
User avatar
hangukhurley
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:51 am
Location: Minneapolis area, MN

Post by hangukhurley »

Susan,

No, unfortunately it doesn't fit in the topcase or in the compartment underneath the seat. It's a modular/flip-up and it's too big to fit in either compartments. I hang it from the hook in the seat. I think a 3/4 helmet or smaller would fit in there, though. My jacket, boots and gloves fit in the topcase, though. :)
- hangukhurley & Frenchy...Pretty in Pink!
User avatar
Shellee
Member
Posts: 140
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:22 am
Location: Southwestern CT

Post by Shellee »

Hangukhurley, your topbox looks great with the added light kit! I'm definitely going to have to get that on my Givi, since I think the topbox kind of "hides" the brakelight. After reading your installation instructions, I'm going to let my dealer handle that!

I have a Nolan flip-up helmet and it fits in my E30 Givi case. I think different brands of helmets vary a little in size.
~ Shellee
Genuine Buddy 170
www.scooterdiva.com
User avatar
ScooterMonkey
Member
Posts: 112
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 5:53 pm
Location: Tempe, AZ

Post by ScooterMonkey »

Congrats on the case, it looks great! :clap:
Could you post some details/instructions on installing the brake-light kit please? I've ordered a Givi case w/ light kit, & I'd like to do the install myself if possible.
User avatar
JeremyZ
Member
Posts: 115
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:34 pm
Location: Round Lake Beach, IL
Contact:

Post by JeremyZ »

For those of you who are thinking of getting this top case, it's OK without the light too.

I had the same issue with the top case on my FJR. Then, I realized that by the time a car/truck following you couldn't see the brakelight because of the top case, he'd have already hit you.

I had the light kit for my top case, and decided not to install it because I didn't want to tinker with the wiring system and void the warranty.
Scootin_in_MS

Post by Scootin_in_MS »

Crystal posted a tutorial on replacing the red lense with more reflective material, in case you don't want the light. It cost about $5.00 if I recall. If anyone is interested, I'll search around Urbanscootin for the thread. Or is Crystal reads this, maybe she can link it. She should be back from her extended vacation by now... :D

Jody
User avatar
BuddyRaton
Scooter Dork
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:08 pm
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Contact:

Post by BuddyRaton »

I wired in a E350 light kit alittle differently but I think it came out pretty clean! I removed that small panel below the brake light and the brake light lens. There are three screws holding in the light assembly one on the bottom and one on each side that needed to be removed. I CAREFULLY flexed the licence plate light assembly and each side panel to pull out the light assembly. To run the wire I opened the seat and was able to pull up the back lip of the storage compartment. I cut a very small notch there, just big enough to not pinch the wire. I fished the wire down through there and out next to the brake light. There are three wires going to the light assembly, light blue, black, and dark blue. I used a VOM to check and found that the light blue is the brake light, black is ground, and the dark blue is the running light. I wire tapped The blue GIVI wire to the light blue and black to black. Yours should be the same but it never hurts to check before tapping! Reassembly was all that was left. The only evidence is about two inches of wire running from the rack center post to under the seat. Im very pleased with it and will post some pics soon!


BR Not-David
"Things fall apart - it's scientific" - David Byrne
www.teamscootertrash.com

'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
User avatar
Lagerhead
Member
Posts: 403
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 5:20 pm
Location: Cincinnati

Post by Lagerhead »

Scootin_in_MS wrote:Crystal posted a tutorial on replacing the red lense with more reflective material, in case you don't want the light. It cost about $5.00 if I recall. If anyone is interested, I'll search around Urbanscootin for the thread. Or is Crystal reads this, maybe she can link it. She should be back from her extended vacation by now... :D

Jody


http://girlbike.com/2006/06/22/givi-trunk-reflector/
User avatar
BuddyRaton
Scooter Dork
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:08 pm
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Contact:

Post by BuddyRaton »

Here are some pics of how I wired the brake lights for the E350!
"Things fall apart - it's scientific" - David Byrne
www.teamscootertrash.com

'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
User avatar
BuddyRaton
Scooter Dork
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:08 pm
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Contact:

Post by BuddyRaton »

One more!
"Things fall apart - it's scientific" - David Byrne
www.teamscootertrash.com

'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
User avatar
BuddyRaton
Scooter Dork
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:08 pm
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Contact:

Post by BuddyRaton »

Scootin_in_MS wrote:Crystal posted a tutorial on replacing the red lense with more reflective material, in case you don't want the light. It cost about $5.00 if I recall. If anyone is interested, I'll search around Urbanscootin for the thread. Or is Crystal reads this, maybe she can link it. She should be back from her extended vacation by now... :D

Jody
Thanks for the great link!
"Things fall apart - it's scientific" - David Byrne
www.teamscootertrash.com

'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
User avatar
ScooterMonkey
Member
Posts: 112
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 5:53 pm
Location: Tempe, AZ

Post by ScooterMonkey »

Great desciption & pics...thanks much. It sounds simple enough that I'm gonna' try installing my e350 w/ brake light kit instead of paying for the shop to do it.
Can you post a couple pics of the wire, & cut-notch under the seat?
User avatar
hangukhurley
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:51 am
Location: Minneapolis area, MN

Post by hangukhurley »

Hi,

I just needed to make a correction on my previous post. My helmet DOES fit in my Givi E30 topcase. I think when my husband tried it, he used HIS helmet and it was really close but the top of the case rubbed on the top of his helmet. Of course, I assumed that he had tested it with MY helmet since that was the whole purpose of the test. :? Oh well!
- hangukhurley & Frenchy...Pretty in Pink!
User avatar
hangukhurley
Member
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:51 am
Location: Minneapolis area, MN

Post by hangukhurley »

BuddyRaton,

Nice job with your Givi topcase and brake lights! Sounds like you did it a much easier way. :) Oh, and great pics, too!
- hangukhurley & Frenchy...Pretty in Pink!
User avatar
ScooterMonkey
Member
Posts: 112
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 5:53 pm
Location: Tempe, AZ

Post by ScooterMonkey »

BuddyRaton,
thx. for the description & pics, I followed them & installed my Givi case brake lights a few days ago w/ no trouble at all :clap:
User avatar
BuddyRaton
Scooter Dork
Posts: 3887
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:08 pm
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Contact:

Post by BuddyRaton »

Well......let's see it!
"Things fall apart - it's scientific" - David Byrne
www.teamscootertrash.com

'06 Cream Buddy 125, 11 Blur 220, 13 BMW C 650 GT, 68 Vespa SS180, 64 Vespa GS MK II, 65 Lambretta TV 175, 67 Vespa GT, 64 Vespa 150 VBB 64 Vespa GL
Post Reply